


So Look Out Down Below

by FrozenHearts



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: BAMF Cor Leonis, Character Study, Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen, Gods, Hurt/Comfort, Magic, Male-Female Friendship, Platonic Relationships, Prophecy, Protectiveness, Self Confidence, Self Confidence Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-04-07 07:14:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14075769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrozenHearts/pseuds/FrozenHearts
Summary: He was young and scrappy and incredibly stupid.She was aloof and cold and always just out of reach.





	So Look Out Down Below

**Author's Note:**

> So I wrote this as a birthday present to myself, since I love Gentiana, but she isn't really explored all that much despite being considered so important to the game??
> 
> Anyway happy birthday to me, I hope you enjoy!

There were many things that could be said about Cor Leonis. He was diligent, intimidating and overall a powrrhouse of a man. Serving under Regis had served him well; he went from a strapping lad looking to pick fights with anyone who looked at him funny to a general with his eyes hardened beyond his years, his shoulders set with a rigid spine and a gruff shout at the drop of a hat. 

He was thirty now, so he was still young, but Gentiana knew who he was back then. 

Back then, Cor Leonis was sixteen, scrappy and incredibly stupid.

He'd had the same look as every other bright-eyed bushy tailed boy enlisting in the Crownsguard: get good enough, and you can join the Kingsglaive. Fight with the best of the best, die with honor and give your life purpose. Most of them, Gentiana knew, would use their position to get what they wanted- alcohol, women, men, free things. Materialistic and idyllic in the long run. 

A waste of time, according to Gentiana, as she walked through the training grounds. Mem and women sparred against the mats, a few of them practicing with polearms near the far end of the room. She didn't have much to do, as Messenger of the Oracle, considering there was yet to be an Oracle, so Gentiana bade her time sitting in on Regis's council, and traipsing the gardens and training rings when the idea caught her fancy.

Cor was busy punching a training dummy into splinters when she met him back then, an unbridled anger hidden in the clench of his jaw or the grunt of exertion as he pounded again and again into the dummy, bare knuckles scratching against the rough wood. 

"Careful, young one," she'd said, "Your hands may be your weapon, but they too need care."

Cor had scoffed and told her to "beat it, lady, unless you want to get punched too."

Instead of beating a hasty retreat, when Cor was sixteen and angry and hating the world, Gentiana sat on a bench off to the side and watched him release his anger. While there was no Oracle to guide just yet, there was a potential in Cor that was too rare to pass by. A spark in his eye, a fire in his belly. As the years went on, he took to showing her a few techniques, his gentleness belying his hard demeanor.

Even now at thirty, Gentiana could see that same spark in his eye, honed with years of training. Some of that sixteen year old stupidity, however, seemed to be there still, lingering in the back of his mind, festering like an old wound. 

\-------

"You succeeded where many have died," Gentiana said, "do you truly wish the same fate for the young prince's Shield?"

Cor clicked his tongue. He was in a Kenny Crowe diner, eating shitty fries and listenijg to shitty music on a shitty jukebox. That seemed to be Longwythe for you, but Cor didn't have time to conplain. Didn't really have the energy to complain. 

"They don't call me The Immortal for nothing," Cor turned to face her. Gentiana was smiling, hands folded in front of her. Her eyes, a deep brown, gazed at him knowingly. Mockingly, almost, as she didn't take a seat next to him.

Gentiana was many things, but Cor knew her to be aloof, cold, and always just out of reach. She seemed to just know everything, everyone, heck, Cor wouldn't be surprised if she existed before the world was even created. Even back then, when he was a stupod teenager she'd had this air about her, like she was in on a secret she could never tell.

"They don't call him that, oh young one," Gentiana said.

Cor felt himself bristle. Young one. He wasn't young anymore, not at thirty. He told her so. 

"Did you plan on seeing Gilgamesh brsten with your fists? Or did you plan on sending the young Shield to do it for you?"

Cor ignored her, picking up a fry and popping it into his mouth. She'd said the same thing back then, the first time. That he was strong but could be stronger, many have fallen where you go to tread, yadda yadda yadda, blah, blah, blah.

He heard it all before. He didn't need to hesr it again. 

"Gladio needs this," Cor said, "if he wants to protect Noctis, he needs this."

"Does he?" Cor could hear the smile in her tone, "Or do you? Wanting to relive your glory days?"

Cor ignored her. 

"Sometimes, I still remember when we met," Gentiana sighed, "You were young, and angry. It was a nice change from most."

Cor remembered. He always remembered how she would sit with him after he sparred, how she'd smile that mysterious smile and say something equally as cryptic.

Sometimes, he wondered how much Gentiana knew. About the world. About the Astrals and Regis and how the world suddenly went to shit. About himself.

He knew she was right, however. As much as he wanted to shift attention to Gladio needing to man up, Cor knew he was only going along because he missed it. He missed the thrill of the fight, thr way his blood sang in his veins.

The safisfaction he felt, just like how he felt at sixteen with Gentiana watching him beat up a wooden dummy until his knuckles bled

"Gilgamesh was not kind then, and he will not be kind now," Gentiana's warning broke through his memories. She wasn't smiling anymore, frowning as if dealing with a petulant child. 

"You never fought him," Cor redirected, leaning back against the counter until he felt the metal edge dig into his back.

"He was young once too," Gentiana said, "using his hands as his weapon. They were very good weapons, but he was not careful."

Right. Gentiana had said the same thing back then, too. And then he taught her how to throw a punch.

"We'll be careful," Cor promised, smiling as she ducked her head. Ling black hair obscured her face.

"Ah, to be young," she sighed.

"Not that young."

Gentiana shook her head, "No, you're not. But you're not immortal either. And neither is he."

Cor grimaced. Gentiana's disappointment was almost palpable in the air, weighing on his shoulders as she looked him in the eye. There was a flicker of anger undernesth their mirth, almost gone as soon as he'd seen it.

"Gentiana," Cor heaved a sigh, "I'm not sixteen anymore. This isn't the training grounds-"

"You're right, it isn't," Gentiana conceded, "Not for Gladiolus, but for you it was."

Cor left his fries on the counter, leaning forward on the stool until gis elbows dug into his thighs.

"Why are you here, then?"

Gentiana looked almost sad, the mask she wore cracking as she said, "You can't punch your way out of this."

"I've done it before."

Gentiana nodded, "I know. You taught me how, young one." 

A chill seemes to descend as they fell into a comfortable silence. Back then, it was always cold when Gentiana stopped by, a nor'easter in the middle if summer, frost appearing on the training equipment for days to come. No one said anything, but Cor always felt like Gentiana was more than she let on, more than what she let him see. 

He knew her as being cold, aloof, and always out of reach. 

She knew him as being young, scrappy, and incredibly stupid so while he may not ve so young anymore, Cor balked internally at the thought.

"He has much to learn and learn in time he will," Gentiana reached out and Cor did everything he could not to jump at her cold fingers digging into his shoulder.

"Gilgamesh will see to it that he doesn't succeed," Gentiana added, "I trust you'll be able to help him."

Cor gave her what he hoped was a reassuring look, "I know."

Seemingly satisfied with his answer, Gentiana gave Cor's shoulder one final squeeze before letting go. From the corner of gus eye, Cor noticed his fries frozen in the plastic red basket they had been served in. 

The diner was freezing when Cor looked up to find Gentiana had left, and there was a snall spiral of frost where ahe had touched his shoulder, the white outlines of her fingers prominent against the black of his Kingsglaive garb. No one else seemed to have noticed the sudden appearance and disappearance of Gentiana, too annoyed by the sudden cold temperatures putting the piece of crap jukebox on the fritz. 

Cor didn't finish gis fries, letting them defrost as he waited for Gladio to call.

**Author's Note:**

> Aside from being mostly self indulgent, I'd like to thank everyone at the FFXV Discord- everyone is so fun and encouraging and they really help me want to be a better writer and overall person, I think. Here's to you, you're all amazing <3


End file.
